An Unlikely Family
by Ekhomegan or ZiggyStar
Summary: Harry escapes his uncaring relatives and ends up living on the streets with another child. For a year he struggles through life, hoping to find a happy ending. He might just get it when he meets a strange man named 'the Doctor' and his blonde companion, Rose. R&R! If you're going to criticize make it constructive instead of, 'this is crap'. Rated T for mentions of child abuse.
1. Who Let the Boy Out?

**A/N 1: ****This rewrite was updated on . **

**Useful Information:** **Harry thinks his name is Boy the Freaky Brat. Harry and Dudley are four, and though both smart, their vocabulary is still expanding. I don't know much about 'normal' children's development, I wasn't exactly what you'd call a normal child. As far as I'm aware, most kids can't write or read till around four or five. As it is, both Harry and Dudley can read complex sentences, but don't have the concentration for books quite yet. Dudley is becoming quite independent from his parents, because he has heard them saying some things quite contradictory to their treatment of 'Boy' and has decided to rely more on information from his teacher than from Petunia and Vernon.**

**Disclaimer:** **Hello sweeties, do you see that word up in the top left corner of the screen? No? Scroll back up to the top. There you are! I don't own anything because, sweeties, it's called FanFiction for a reason. (NB: this does not apply if you are using FanFiction Mobile.)**

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><p><em>An Unlikely Family<em>

_Chapter 1_

_Who Let the Boy Out?_

Boy had a plan. If he was honest with himself, it was a terrible plan, and required an unfortunate amount of good luck. At least for now.  
>"What's this, Harry?" Teacher called him Harry. It couldn't be anyone else, teacher was the only one who didn't know he was called Boy the Freaky Brat, Sir and Ma'am were very nice and put a normal name for school so that teacher didn't know he was freaky. "Oh, I see, it's a map! Well, you're very clever to have done that all by yourself, which one is your house?"<p>

Boy pointed to the fourth from the left.

"Yes, that's right, well done, Harry! It's very accurate."

This time Boy spoke, "It was easy. Miss, how am I different from the others?"

"Oh, Harry, everyone's different," replied teacher.

"I don't think so." Boy wasn't supposed to disagree. Uh-oh, he was in trouble now.

"Why not?"

"All the boys like football, fighting and eat loads, all the girls like playing dress-up and families and do things with their hair," Boy explained,"but I don't like any of that, I like reading and puzzles and all the others are big, but I'm tiny and they all have friends and families and…" he continued in barely more than a whisper," I don't." Boy stopped himself from crying before Teacher noticed.

"Harry, did you know that Curtis hasn't got any family either?" Yes, Boy knew that, but Curtis was Dudley's friend, and he didn't do freaky things. Harry shook his head and continued planning.

"Harry, can I ask you to try something for me?"

"Yes, miss," Boy replied.

"I want you to try talking to some other people in the class, try to make friends.'

Boy nodded absently and began another picture, a plan of Dudley's house this time.

Teacher pursed her lips, but left him to it. Boy heaved a sigh of relief and checked his watch. Boy had gotten the watch a few days ago, after swearing to look after it very carefully. He had been suitably shocked when Dudley had handed it to him, albeit making him swear to keep it in pristine (his actual word, which he also wanted kept secret from his parents) condition.

The bell rang.

"Well, class, I need all of you to stand up because we're changing seats today.' There was a scramble as everyone tried to get the seats they wanted. Boy hung back as long as possible before taking a seat right at the back. He didn't notice his cousin until Dudley plopped down in the seat next to his.

"What are you doing?" hissed Boy.

"What do you think?"

"Eckomical Sue's side."

"What?"

"I dunno, heard it on TV."

"Oh." That seemed to end the conversation, but Dudley added, 'I'm sitting next to you.'

"Yes," said Boy.

"'Cause you're family. I'm sitting next to you 'cause you're family."

"Since when was that iportan' to you?"

"Since Saturday."

"When you gave me your watch."

"Yeah. But a bit before that too, only not as much."

"Harry, when I asked you to try to make friends, I was not talking about your cousin, though it's very nice, but please try to limit your talking to break time," Teacher's voice cut their conversation short.

"Miss, what does 'limit' mean?"

"Limit, Dudley, means keep it to only at break-time. Got that?"

"Yes, miss," the cousins chorused.

"Good, now continue your maths worksheets, those who have them. Here you go, boys," she handed them a worksheet each.

Boy whizzed through his worksheets easily, but Dudley was struggling. He couldn't get the numbers to make sense, it felt as if they were constantly moving around the page, teasing him like he used to tease Boy about his scar.

"Can you help me? You're already done and I don't get any of this stuff," Dudley asked. Boy put his hand up.

"Yes, Harry?"

"Ca' I help Dudley, miss?" asked Boy.

"Dudley, you can ask me for help."

"I know, miss, but you were helping Cameron, so I asked B-Harry instead. He's already finished." Dudley stumbled slightly on Boy's school name, but made a good point. Boy crossed his fingers under the table.

"OK, then, Harry, can I have your worksheet?" Boy handed it to her and started explaining quietly to Dudley.

~ThisIsALineBreakForTheFanfictionAnUnlikelyFamily~

Boy and Dudley kept their friendship a secret and, under their not so happy relatives' noses, it flourished. Dudley was very good at making up excuses so that Boy could zip up to his room and play soldiers for a while, and Boy was excellent at making it look like he was working when he wasn't.

"_Mum, I need Boy to tidy my room!"_

"_Mum, I'm bored! I want to play Boy bashing!"_

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><p>"He's put a ruddy spell on him, it's the only explanation!" snapped Vernon. "I'm going to take his punishments a notch higher, stopping his food didn't work!"<p>

"Good idea, Vernon. I'll see to it that he doesn't have any free time with our Dudders."

"Excellent, let's see him control Dudley like this!"

Boy sat in his cupboard, sniffing. He squeezed Solomon the spider closer to him and curled up. Uncle Vernon had spanked him so hard, he could barely feel his bum, Dudley was in his bedroom because his not-real friends were over and Aunt Petunia was watching the news in the living room. Boy suddenly remembered his plan. He dug the sheets of paper out from under his cot and set to work. By 3:00 he was done, his plan was safe and riskless, he just hoped Dudley would agree to help.

Boy crept up to Dudley's room at 2:00, the agreed time, on Sunday morning. He knocked six times and Dudley opened the door.

"Are you OK?" Dudley asked. Boy nodded and walked in.

"OK, here's the plan. This is your house. This is where I'm going. I need your help. Will you give it?" Dudley looked shocked.

"You're definitely not OK. What did they do to you?"

"The usual. What are you on about?" Boy said, genuinely confused.

"W-What's the usual?"

"Well, a five minute bum-whip plus whatever Vernon manages to get in before that starts." Dudley was trembling slightly.

"Y-yeah, OK, I'll help you. What do you need me to do?" Boy explained what Dudley needed to do in great detail, making plenty of suggestions as to excuses.

Three days later, the day after school broke out, Dudley demanded to go to the zoo. His parents were over the moon, and immediately started making plans to leave Boy with Mrs. Figg.

"But, mu-um, it takes so long! I want to go now! Can't we just lock him up and leave him here?"

"What an excellent idea Diddy-dums! Boy! Get in your cupboard!"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Can we go now mum? I want to stay ages!"

"Of course my precious Dudders." Dudley shot a blink at Boy. Neither could wink so they'd decided on blinking as a signal instead. One blink meant, 'Everything's perfect,' two meant 'Lock bad,' and three meant 'Bad, bad, bad!'. Boy blinked back. Nothing could go wrong now. He hoped.

"I'll get the lock, mum! Go on, freak, get in!" Dudley clicked the new lock into place and grinned. Pretty soon Boy would be free. He was momentarily struck by a fear of his parents when he thought about what they'd done, but he did not show it.

Once in his cupboard he packed up his things, his books, his new notebook and pencil, his broken toy soldiers and his blue blanket that his mum made for him before she died.

Aunt Petunia always said that his mum didn't care about him, but Dudley had pointed out that she must of cared if she'd made him that blanket and that his mum had never made him a blanket.

Harry shook himself from his reverie and stood. He put on his coat, actually Dudley's, but whatever, and grabbed the satchel, also Dudley's, given to him.

"Good luck." Had been scratched several times into the wood of the flimsy cupboard door, making Harry grin momentarily. He couldn't help but write a goodbye letter to Dudley, he had received one, of sorts, himself.

_Dear dudley,_

_I don't no wen ill see you again, but I hop its soon. Ive dun sum drorings four you keep them save and dont let yor mum and dad hurt you. Yu can trust teacher, shes nis. Bee cairful._

_From boi._

Boy smiled again and left. Running through the desolate streets, whispering to himself, just being free. Boy was new, Boy was happy and Boy was alive.

This was the beginning of a new life.

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><p><strong>AN2: So, this is the rewrite, just in time for Christmas! I hope Harry and Dudley were accurate. I mean, normal four-to-five-year-olds  
><strong>

**News: I've decided that Albion and Silvana's names are changing. Albion is still available for Harry. I'm putting up a poll as soon as this is up. Vote in a review or on my profile page. If you vote in a review you have more time.**

**Options for Albion: **_Albion, Cade, Kalel, Kane, Plato, Aaru, Jonah, Salem, Jago, Salix, Lemuel, Xylo, Enoch, Eben, Auryn, Nikodin._

**Options for Silvana:** Cyra, Zaila, Theroux, Aniya, Amaya, Bria, Dejah, Aphro, Azalea, Zadie, Callista, Jessamyn, Eir, Zuelia, Aquata.

**You can choose any number of names, whichever, so long as they're on the list. On my profile page voting for Harry's new name will be up for the next week, Silvana's for a week after that.**

**Sneak Preview for the next chapter:**

_The moment their hands touched, the world went insane. Swirling colours, a sudden knowledge and curiosity, the whole world tipping and then they were falling down through blackness._

**Hopefully the rewritten chapter 2 will be up soon!**


	2. A New Life

**A/N1: Sorry this chapter is so short, but I did get it up quite quickly... sort of. Sorry! Please don't kill me! Everything else of note will be explained in the second note.  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: ****Yes, coincidentally, I am JKR, mighty ruler of the FanWorld, author of the amazing Harry Potter series… JUST KIDDING! Please don't sue me, because apparently quite a lot of people like this, and I think it would be quite mean to disappoint them, don't you?**

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><p><em>An Unlikely Family<em>

_Chapter Two_

_A New Life_

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><p>Boy blinked up at the girl on the climbing frame. She was silhouetted against the orange sunset, hair fluttering in a gentle breeze. She turned rather suddenly and he jumped.<p>

"Who are you, what do you want and are you planning to stay here tonight?" Her voice was clear and seemed slightly posh, taking a tone that Uncle Vernon had often used for his business deals. Boy took a moment to study her, light blonde hair, hard brown eyes, pink cheeks from the cold,

Boy mulled the situation over. He had been living on the streets for three days and knew the basics of survival, composed into a list of rules in his notebook, a leaving gift from Dudley:

_Morals are useless, so start thieving._

_Keep to yourself unless necessary for information, food, drink etc._

_Nothing is ever free, except a pounding._

_Never stay anywhere for more than a week._

If Boy did answer her questions, he could put himself at risk, but he had been planning to stay here tonight, and information could be exchanged for a place to sleep.

"I'm Boy, no trouble, and yes, I was." The girl narrowed her eyes, an expression that looked slightly scary on a five-year old's face.

"Ok, fair enough." Boy was slightly startled at her sudden change of mood. "I'm Three-Sixteen, same here, and I'm staying, too." Boy nodded, that seemed fair enough. "You've got a weird name by the way."

"So have you," Boy countered, slightly defensive.

"Weird works for me, it's cool," said Three-Sixteen.

"Is it?" Boy asked.

"I reckon so." Three-Sixteen slid down the slide to land right in front of him. "I don't like Three-Sixteen, though."

"Why not?"

"It reminds me of… Stonewall." Three-Sixteen shuddered. Boy knew not to ask.

"Well, choose another one then."

"That's actually a good idea. Let's start again."

"OK, do you mind if I choose a new one, too?"

"Of course not!" Oh, that was good, new life, new name, new rules.

"Hello, I'm Auryn." Auryn held out his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Auryn, I'm Zaila!" Zaila stretched out her hand to shake.

The moment their fingers touched, the world went insane. Swirling colours, a sudden knowledge and curiosity, independent and free, the World tipped and Auryn fell down into darkness.

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><p>"<em>They're adorable"<em>

"_This is impossible, Aphy!"_

"_No it's not! Just… unlikely, is all."_

"_Well, what are we going to do? Dad'll kill us if he finds out this happened!"_

"_You're in charge of young love!"_

"_This is a bit younger than I'm used to!"_

"_Well, it's not my problem! I'm not even supposed to be in this sector!"_

"_Look, we'll just send them back-"_

"_Are you _insane_?"_

"_And we'll bring them back when they're old enough."_

"_... Ok, fine. Do it."_

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><p>Auryn sat up. "What just happened?"<p>

"Mushrooms, probably, I'd don't know who slipped them to me, though."

"Uh…"

"Drugs. In mushrooms. Magic, apparently."

"Oh."

"The science men call them hallucinogenic. They make you see stuff that isn't there."

"Yeah, I… know. How do I know that?"

"You payed attention in science class?

Auryn snorted. "As if, we studied flowers."

"Heard it and remembered just now?"

"Maybe…"

Zaila shrugged and said that she'd prefer to just assume that was it and not bother with things near impossible to find out. ("It just gives you a headache".) Auryn agreed and they spent most of the night talking. Auryn and Zaila happened to have rather a lot in common, they both had a love of knowledge, and a streak of curiosity the size of the solar system, they both loved learning new things, but were often very skeptical and quite annoying. Auryn hesitated when Zaila enquired about how he had come to be on the streets, but he spilled the beans after a while. Zaila just nodded and went on to talk about star signs ("I'm Scorpio, I think, transient, self-willed, unyielding, purposeful. What about you?"

"Dunno." "When's your birthday?" "July last." "Hmmm… Leo, ruling, warm, faithful, caring, initiative-taking." "That sounds nice." "Yeah.").

"Zaila," Auryn repeated the name he'd said at least twenty times in this conversation, "did you choose to be called three-sixteen?" Zaila stiffened visibly and answered no, she did not, but that it was very touchy as conversation subject and that she would prefer not to talk about it. Auryn accepted her answer with a nod, whilst the older girl went on to explain that being more trusting to certain people who were kind was a Leo trait and that Scorpions were a lot less quick to trust. Auryn asked if it was a bad trait, Zaila said it was neutral, that both good and bad could be taken from the opposing traits.

"For example," Zaila explained, "if a person is quick to trust, then they can make a lot more friends and succeed more because they get a lot of help and by helping others they can get even more help," Auryn nodded slowly, he supposed that made sense, "but if they trust too quickly then they can be used more quickly and may be trapped serving someone blindly without even knowing that they are being used. People who do not trust easily will almost never face this problem, but may find it difficult to get help, because they will have very few friends." Auryn nodded again, everything clicking into place like a mental jigsaw puzzle.

"So… am I trustable enough for us to be friends, or are you going to manipulate and abandon me like you just said?" asked Auryn with a wry smile. Zaila shoved him and laughed.

"Well…" she said in mock consideration, "you are obviously so utterly naïve and clueless when it comes to the dangers of the streets, I feel obliged to take you under my wing for a while, at least until you are able to safely function on you own, by which time I will probably have become overly fond of you and will not be able to let you go, in short, trustable enough if only for your naïvety, and you are most definitely stuck with me now!" Auryn processed her words for a few seconds.

"Hey! I am not clueless!" Zaila collapsed into giggles for a full ten minutes, joined by Auryn moments later, because, as everyone knows, laughter is extremely infectious.

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><p>Auryn was shaken awake by Zaila.<p>

"Auryn! get up! Oh, get up, you scrawny bag of bones! Auryn, we have to go, the privs are arriving!"

Auryn sat up and promptly banged his head on the roof of the tunnel slide. Zaila winced in sympathy

"Yes, ma'am," he mumbled. Then he realized where he was. "Oh. Right, detach the… uhhh… what we callin' this?"

"Sleeping Security System, or triple S, if you want." Auryn mumbled something akin to the latter, being too bleary eyed and confused to think about words with over two syllables yet.

"'M'kay… mit nee' ta bi prpred fa dis…"

"Sorry, what?"

"Mmmmuuhhh… might need to be prepared for this!"

"Oh, right." Zaila waited patiently.

"Mrrrfffffuhhhzzcckkkckpolldistahhhhh…"

"Are you getting up or what?" She asked eventually.

"Yeah, OK, I'm awake." Zaila raised an eyebrow. _Well, at least I know where to start now, he needs to be able to get up quicker… hmm. _"What? I am!"

"Okay, first things first, I suppose. We dismantle this now, because according to this," she tapped a watch on her right wrist, "the park opens in ten minutes and if the privs arrive before we get out of here, we'll get taken to some home and will probably never see eachother again!"

"Right! Yes, OK, got that." They both detached the rather patchwork combination of bags and blankets that had been holding them up all night and slid down the tunnel slide. They were unfortunately spotted by a mother pushing a buggy and leading a young boy around Auryn's age down the path. She stopped abruptly and changed her course to walk towards them, pulling out her phone.

"Well, nothing to wake you up in the morning like running for your life from idiotic do-gooders," said Zaila with a grin. Auryn frowned. "Basically, run." Auryn didn't even question it, just followed his instincts and bolted.

"Wait! Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you!" Zaila rolled her eyes and muttered something. It sounded sarcastic. Auryn ran even faster, speeding out of the park quickly and turning into wisteria walk. Zaila caught up with him a moment later,

"Wow, you're fast." Auryn shrugged. "C'mon there's someone you need to meet, haven't been to see her in a few days, but apparently I'm welcome anytime, so…" she trailed off, but motioned for Auryn to follow her and rung the doorbell of number sixteen Wisteria Walk. Auryn fidgeted as he waited for the door to open, wondering who they were here to see. The green door swung open with a creak to show an old woman in her dressing gown. She peered out at them, then seemed to start.

"Oh, hello, dear! Who's this then? No, wait, come in first, you'll catch your death out there!"

**A/N2:**** I would like to point out that I still have the original version of this story, so if anyone wants to read that I can PM them about it... maybe? I really don't know...**

**When it comes to the plot: The plot of this story has not changed much, but Auryn and Zaila will not be meeting the Doctor or Rose for a few chapters yet. the plot will definitely be slowing down, because last time it was really rushed. Also, my dad will be making a guest appearance! Look out for a squatter with dreads, guys.**

**I don't know when I'll next update, but I'll give you something to ponder on until I do. This woman Auryn's just met is related to someone in a fandom I've written for. It's not in any way obscure, so have a guess at which fandom and/or character.**


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